My Name
by FrostnIce
Summary: Their conversation took an unexpected turn when Albus went to deliver Tom Riddle's Hogwart letter. An extra sentence managed to change the course of the wizarding world and allowed history books to record Tom Marvolo Riddle in a completely different light. Au. K for now, rating might change as the story goes on.


Hi people, Here's a prologue for all of you. I'll be following up on this prologue and hopefully write my first (actual) long fanfiction. I'll be looking for a beta or anyone who could recommend innovative and untested ideas. So leave a comment and let me know what you all think.

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You dislike the name "Tom"?'

'There are a lot of Toms.' Muttered Riddle. He opened his mouth for more, perhaps a rant on how his name is of a common stock, or questions about where his magic came from.

He never had the chance.

'But there can only be one you.' Came the quiet reply.

Riddle jerked his head up and stared into the twinkling eyes of Albus Dumbledore, whose face is filled with amusement.

'There can only be one you.' He repeated, stronger this time.

'Just as there are masses of Albuses, many Percivals, seas of Wulfrics, crowds of Brians, fields of Dumbledores.'

'And no doubt there shall be more in the future.' The transfiguration teacher of Hogwarts chuckled merrily, 'But there can only be one me.' Fingers tapping on his chest.

He paused to allow that information to sink into the young man.

'Perhaps you feel that a common name would bar your way to greatness?' Albus watched as the teenager's face curved into one filled with annoyance before going back to a blank mask.

'In the wizarding world there are prominent.' Dumbledore voice flickered to one laced with derision when he reached the word "prominent". 'Families, with habit of naming their children after constellations, or historical figures of Greek.'

'Great names.' He nodded absently. 'For a batch of backward politicians, do excuse my language.'

Silence.

'Should you be unsatisfied with your name, I would have no qualms about christening you with a new one and changing it on the school register.'

'A French one perhaps.' Dumbledore added thoughtfully, but was cut off before any helpful suggestions can be made.

'That would not be necessary…..Professor.' Tom injected almost coldly. The very thought of having his name changed repulses him, It's like repainting a broken fence in order to make it look better, when in fact it is still just as damaged.

'Well then, that's all I have…'

'Are you leaving, Professor?'

'I do believe I am.' Dumbledore chuckled, rising to his feet 'Places to go, people to meet. I do believe is the phrase. But in my case, the future-students of Hogwarts.'

He held out an envelope, which Tom immediately opened, his grey eyes analyzing the information it contains.

'You shall leave King's Cross station on the first of September.' said the Professor after a moment of silence 'The Train ticket at the back will direct you to the entrance.'

Riddle nodded. Taking Dumbledore's outstretched hand, he asked slowly 'I can talk to snakes, occasionally they pay me little visits, they whisper to me. Is that normal for a wizard?'

It was a prod, a deliberate use of information to test this man's reaction.

'It all depends on what type of wizard are you comparing yourself to, does it not? What is normal for one wizard may not be normal for another.' The older man mused as he steps through the mahogany doorframe, Tom followed. 'Should you be interested about your abilities in talking to snakes, you will find that Hogwarts' library, do in fact, contain books on Parsel-tongue.'

'It seems that your time in school shall be, for a lack of better word interesting.' Dumbledore stood at the doorsteps of the orphanage 'Goodbye Tom, I shall be seeing you at Hogwarts.'

With a tip of his bowler hat, the older man disappeared in a small pop.

* * *

Tom stood amidst the flowers and herbs in the garden. Today have been nothing short of exciting, and that's saying something for the impassive boy. It had been too long since he had felt anything remotely similar, the last time he did was when he found himself to be special, compared to the other orphans.

A new world filled with people who could do magic.

A world in which he is no longer special.

That annoying feeling was back, the feeling of mediocrity, the feeling of emptiness. Riddle gritted his teeth and shove the feeling down, a world in which he is not special is unacceptable. He must be better then all others, he must be great, he must be…

Known.

He must be known.

He had plans on how to be known in this world, the world where he is the only one who could perform feats of magic, could talk to snakes.

That plan has been thrown into the trash can, not ten minutes ago.

For the next seven years he would be immersed in world he knows next to nothing about, a world where he has to live in without any prior information.

Tom's eyes hardened, a thought entering his head.

Why should this world be any different? People would still be people and "People" is one of the topics he is well versed in.

His goals need not be changed.

And so he promised himself on the night of 1938, July the eighth, He would make his name known throughout this mysterious new world, his achievements recorded in each and every book of history, his very existent a legend.

Thus began tale of Tom Marvolo Riddle.

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I know this isn't exactly long, but I believe it's enough for a prologue. I won't be telling you how TMR would be like in this story, because that'll ruin the plot.


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